Living Like a Local: Our Stay in a Traditional Korean Hanok

After navigating the steep, winding alleys of Seoul, we finally stood in front of a heavy wooden gateway right in the heart of Bukchon Hanok Village. Pushing the door open felt like stepping back in time—but the very first thing I actually noticed when walking inside was just how compact and cleverly designed the house was. It’s a traditional Korean house (called a Hanok), tucked into a cool neighborhood that blends modern city life with ancient historic architecture.

Sleeping Arrangements & Paper Doors

The setup inside is pretty interesting! There are two regular beds up off the floor, and two traditional mats right on the floor. The house has these classic sliding paper doors. They are actually really sturdy and cool, but my brain hasn’t quite adjusted yet—I keep catching myself trying to push them open like a normal door!

Modern Tech in a Traditional Home

You might think staying in a historic, traditional house means roughing it, but they’ve totally modernized the inside. We’ve got a blast of AC, fast Wi-Fi, and the absolute best surprise: two massage chairs! (We didn’t test out the traditional heated floors, though—it’s definitely not cold enough for that right now).

Take a short tour of 3 bedrooms

Take a Tour

The Verdict

Honestly, the absolute best part of the house is the location. We are right in the middle of it all, making it the perfect home base for exploring Seoul.

Overall rating for staying in a traditional Korean Hanok? A very specific, very solid 8.3 out of 10!

If you want to look more at this house, click here to check out the page on Airbnb!